


If Fate Says...

by sexyorcsingles



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-24 07:55:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20702534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sexyorcsingles/pseuds/sexyorcsingles
Summary: The Dragonborn gets questioned into a good mood by his housecarl. Rayya doesn’t get a straight answer.





	If Fate Says...

There was something to be said for lonely peace.

The Dragonborn sat on the edge of a pier just outside the Nightgate Inn. A lonely little inn with barely anyone inside and barely anyone else around, it brought a welcome break from the stress of the world. Overlooking the chilled water, the tips of his boots sending small ripples over the otherwise stilled water, he could almost believe that nothing was wrong. He wasn’t destined to save the world, dragons hadn’t returned, the country hadn’t burst into civil war…

But of course, he couldn’t give himself in to the fantasy. It would have been like wishing for Winterhold to be bright and sunny. The Dragonborn could only get that sunny day if he caused it, and he could only get rid of the need to save the world if he saved it. The things he longed for couldn’t happen if he just wished they would. The luxury of sitting and hoping for someone else would take care of his issues wasn’t a luxury he was granted. He was the one people were wishing for.

“My Thane,” A voice behind him spoke, and the steel plate helmet turned to look. Rayya, one of his many housecarls. He tended to favour bringing her with him due to her proficiency in dual wielding. Though she wasn’t dual wielding now, instead holding a cloak- a similar one wrapped around her shoulders. She seemed awkward as she offered it to him. “You should do more to keep yourself warm. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if you got sick.”

The Dragonborn couldn’t help but smile, taking the offered cloak and wrapping it around himself. Then he pat the spot on the dock beside him. Rayya sat, though he wasn’t sure if it was because she wanted to, or because he “told” her to.

“I never understand how Nords can manage this cold so well.” She spoke after some silence, pulling her cloak tighter around herself.

“…something to do with living it every day, I suppose.” He replied in a low voice. He spoke quietly normally, but his voice was hoarse from too much shouting. Someone’s farm had caught fire, a dragon harassing a village… It had been a busy day, and he was feeling the effects of his shouting.

The housecarl fell silent, and her thane beside her fell silent, and they both sat in a very awkward silence that neither of them quite knew how to break. It was hard enough to have casual conversation with a thane, but when said thane was some Nord hero who was to save the world… It hardly left much room for conversation topics.

“Is that how you seem to manage it without batting an eye?” Rayya awkwardly asked.

“Who said anything about me being a Nord?” Her thane replied with a gentle chuckle.

Despite her slight embarrassment for assuming (though who could blame her- he made every effort to hide his race), the chuckle did make her feel a little more at ease. The Redguard offered a small smile in return. With his expression literally impossible to read, the gentle cues that the man behind the steel plate held some humour was always welcome.

“Well, I have to wonder how a not-Nord became such an important Nord legend, then.” She replied, a hand reaching up to adjust her hood some, trying to keep the wind out of it.

“I wonder the same.” Was the Dragonborn’s reply.

This encouraged Rayya to keep questioning, even though her Thane had playfully claimed to be absolutely no race alive when she had asked about it before.

“You have to at least tell me where you grew up, if not in Skyrim.”

“Cyrodiil. I told you I was crossing the border when the business at Helgen happened.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you grew up in Cyrodiil. Most people have been to Cyrodiil at one point in their life.”

The armoured man beside her let out a warm laugh at her exasperated attempts to find out anything about who she was dedicated to protecting. His plated hand was gently placed on her shoulder.

“You’ll find out if fate says you should find out.” He replied rather cryptically, and Rayya would have sworn he moved his head as though trying to make it clear he was winking.

“Fate needs to give a straight answer, my Thane.”

“Perhaps, but the same could be said for a lot of people. Or a lot of Gods. Or a lot of Daedric Princes. I think everyone is just very bad at being straight with everyone.”

His specific mentioning of Daedric Princes had her wondering more though. Elf? Orc? Or perhaps he had done it on purpose to purposely throw her off any guesses she had had.

“You especially, my Thane.” Rayya replied with a exasperated sigh before she rose to her feet. “Don’t catch your death out here.”

“If I’m destined to either kill or be killed by Alduin, nothing else can kill me. It’s a loophole I’ve been abusing since I found out.” The Dragonborn told her, and the housecarl didn’t need to see his face to know the shit-eating grin he had to have been giving her.“

"Good night, my Thane.”

The Dragonborn, now left alone by his companion, looked back over the still water. Perhaps there was something to be said for lonely peace. Perhaps he couldn’t avoid the fact that he had to do whatever he wanted to see in the world. But there was also something to be said for just accepting all of that, and going off to enjoy good company.

The Dragonborn stood up from the dock and left to go back inside the Inn, a smile on his lips as he did.


End file.
